-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000932334-09-000019.txt : 20090402
<SEC-HEADER>0000932334-09-000019.hdr.sgml : 20090402
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090402185045
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000932334-09-000019
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20090326
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090402
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090402

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MEDQUIST INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000884497
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-COMPUTER PROCESSING & DATA PREPARATION [7374]
		IRS NUMBER:				222531298
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NJ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1000 BISHOPS GATE BLVD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 300
		CITY:			MOUNT LAUREL
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08054-4632
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8568108000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1000 BISHOPS GATE BLVD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 300
		CITY:			MOUNT LAUREL
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08054-4632

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SCHWARZ MARK E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001208889

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13326
		FILM NUMBER:		09729427

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 CRESCENT COURT
		STREET 2:		STE 1400
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000884497</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MEDQUIST INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MEDQ</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001208889</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHWARZ MARK E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 CRESCENT COURT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>STE 1400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.55</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2011474</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Explanation</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.4</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2021574</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Explanation</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6960</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.55</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2028534</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Explanation</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person holds no shares of the Issuer's Common Stock directly.  The Reporting Person is a director of the Issuer and also a member of a &quot;group&quot; for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and accordingly may be deemed to beneficially own shares of the Issuer's Common Stock owned in the aggregate by the other members of the Section 13(d) group.  The Section 13(d) group consists of Newcastle Partners, L.P., (&quot;NP&quot;), Newcastle Capital Management, L.P. (&quot;NCM&quot;), Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. (&quot;NCG&quot;), Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. (&quot;Hallmark&quot;), American Hallmark Insurance Company of Texas (&quot;AHIC&quot;) and the Reporting Person. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of the Issuer's Common stock owned by the other members of the Section 13(d) group except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">NCM is the general partner of NP, NCG is the general partner of NCM, and the Reporting Person is the managing member of NCG. Accordingly, the Reporting Person may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of the Issuer's Common Stock directly owned by NP.  In addition, NCM may be deemed to beneficially own a controlling interest in Hallmark, and Hallmark is the parent company of AHIC.  Accordingly, the Reporting Person may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of the Issuer's Common Stock directly owned by AHIC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Purchase effected by AHIC. Includes 2,001,074 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock owned by NP.  In the aggregate, the members of the Section 13(d) group own 2,021,574 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Mark E. Schwarz</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-04-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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